1. Overview of Biomass Materials types and properties John R. Shelly University of California Cooperative Extension www.ucfpl.ucop.edu Woody Biomass Utilization Forum Redway, California September 24, 2003 Partial Support – USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry

2. Source: 1991 Biomass Resource Assessment Report for California, California Energy Commission, Dec 1992. Agricultural Residue Forest-based Wood Manufacturing Residue Chaparral Urban Lignocellulosic 31% 20% 15% 21% 13% California Biomass = 40+ million BDT

3. Small Diameter Resource

5. Shasta Site DBH (inch) Trees per acre Basal Area (ft 2 ) Volume (ft 3 ) 0-692052633 7-12160601,005 13-151517263 >1513540013,384 TOTAL123052915,285 95% of trees less than 12” are D-fir

6. What Do We Do With Biomass? PRESCRIBED FIRE Advantages: –Mimics prehistoric treatments –Low direct cost Disadvantages: –Air quality impacts –Soils impacts –Not easily managed –Scheduling –Neighboring communities –Multiple treatments are frequently needed

7. What Do We Do With Biomass? MASTICATION Advantages: –Minimal air impacts –Community acceptance –Minimal site impacts Disadvantages: –Direct costs –Material is not utilized –Multiple treatments

8. What Do We Do With Biomass? THIN AND REMOVE Advantages: –Minimal impacts –Effective in one entry –Material is utilized –Societal benefits Disadvantages: –High direct costs –Few markets for removed material –Biomass is a low quality raw material

9. What Do We Do With Biomass? RAW MATERIAL FOR PRODUCTS Soil Additives/Amendments Firewood/Fuelwood, Combustion Fuel Chips Pulp Chips Solid Wood Products Composite Panels Fiber/Plastic Composites Organic Chemicals

10. Major Challenges For Value- Added Products Mixed species often not acceptable for higher value products High processing costs of working with small logs Inferior wood quality (juvenile wood) Transportation to markets

11. Juvenile Wood Core – first 5 to 20 growth rings

12. Slide provided by USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Lab Dimension Lumber ? – Warp is a problem

13. Twist in Small Diameter, Suppressed-Growth Doug-fir * Twist values adjusted to 100 mm width

14. California hardwoods are an excellent choice for many furniture and flooring products.

15. Biochemical Potential SoftwoodsHardwoods Cellulose40-44 %43-47 % Hemicellulose25-2925-35 Lignin25-3116-24 Extractives1-52-8 Ash< 1

16. Organic Chemicals from Biomass Many Valuable Chemicals can be Made from Wood Ethanol -- Hydrolysis/Fermentation Charcoal, phenolic oils, methanol -- Pyrolysis Bio-Gases ( low BTU, high CO) -- Gasification Levulinic and Lactic acid (“building blocks”) – –Hydrolysis/Conversion Pharmaceuticals -- Extraction Fragrances -- Extraction

17. Summary Many woody biomass utilization challenges –Low raw material quality –Unfavorable economics –Lack of markets Biomass to electricity generation is largest market, and it is not negatively impacted by most raw material quality issues Community based solutions should be focused on local, niche and environmental markets Important to understand the true cost of “doing nothing”